Bear Flag Fish Co to open Second location in Crystal Cove

Bear Flag Fish Company will open its second Newport Beach location at Crystal Cove Promenade in the fall.

Thomas Carson started Bear Flag Fish Company in 2007 and opened his first restaurant in Newport Beach, at 407 31st Street in 2008.

Carson projects that the restaurant will be open by October or November.

Carson describes the restaurant as a seafood market with a deli-style type seating area.

“We’re a seafood market. Whether we do more business as a restaurant is back and forth,” Carson said.

Carson hopes that a second location will help bring in customers from all over Newport Beach.

“Newport is pretty spread out. I’m just hoping to help out the other side of the bay—give them access to fresh seafood,” Carson said.

Bear Flag Fish Company’s success can be credited in large part to the products served, Carson said.“All the fish we get in here are whole fish we cut ourselves,” Carson said. “Everything we do here is fresh.”

Carson got his start working on fishing boats out of Newport as a teenager. During college he worked in fish markets and after graduation was employed at high-end food stores such as Bristol Farms and Whole Foods Market.

“I decided that corporate life wasn’t for me, so I pulled all my resources and opened a restaurant,” Carson said.

The second Bear Flag Fish Company will be located at 7972 Pacific Coast Hwy in Newport Coast. Check out Food Frenzy’s review of Bear Flag Fish Company here.

By Hannah Fry / For The Orange County Register

Join the conversation: Please LIKE my new Facebook fan page for real-time information on local food news, trends and deals. We have great conversation about restaurants, so join the fun. You can also follow me on Twitter.